Projectile.



J. B. SEMPLB. momma. urmonmu rumiun. as, 1914. 1,131,164, Patented Mar. 9, 1915,

II Fl [3.1

Fuss- I} 1 JOHN E. SEMPLE, 03? SEEWICKLEY, PEZQNS'EZ'LVANIA.

IB OJECTILE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar, 9, EH5,

Application filed April 29, 1814. Serial No. 835,131.

To all whom it mag/concern Be it known that I, JOHN B. SEMPLE, residing at Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful lniprmements in Projectiles, of which improvements the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the means 6311-- ployed for effecting detonation of the burster-chargcs of projectiles; and is particrespect to the hurstei chsrge it shall on ularly concerned in guarding the main body of the burster-charge from explosion, in case of premature explosion of the sensitive element in the detcnator.

The high-p0 Wcr explosives now ordinarily employed for the hurstevcharges of pro -jectiles are inert to ordinary shocks and require for their eilicient detonation the detonation of other bodies of explosive ar ranged in proximity to them. Accordingly, in the train of operation from the percussion-cap (or other instrumental. w? 'l: which explosion begins) and the hursten charge, there is required a relatively sensitive detonator.

Present-day conditions require that the material'of which this detonator is comosed shall be one which will detonate on lgnition. The available materials which will meet this requirement are few; fulmi note of mercury is (meet them; but all of them are Very unstable compound and sensitive to shock and compre n. The

danger incident to their use is lest they exploded prematurely, in careless handling of the'projectilcs or otherwise, and in premature explosion explode the main hurstor charge prematurely. It has heretofore been proposed toso range the detonate!" that it shall have s 1notion of imnslation when assembled in the projectile structure--21 motion of trcnslw tion with relation to the main burstercharge; that in its proximate position with explosion impart explosion to that charge i =ut in its remote position it shell he inchpehie of doing so: that is to if it he explodrd when in its remote pos Ion, it will have no effect to explode the main charge. And this proposal in olv s also the prom. that normally the d for. shall he in its remote position )1. some to its psi-cs5 mate osition (ml I transpirieg conditions incident to the firing. flight. or striking of the projectile.

My present invention concerned with projcctiie which includes A bursterrlnn'ge and a. detonate;--cher e. and in which the the said charges are movable. one relatively to the other to the end that they may he brought ilfrom relative positions in which the dctonutor-chmg in case of explosion incapable of imp explosion to the burstenchmrge relative positions in which the contrary true.

lore specifically, my intention consist in the structiu'e and arrangement of parts which condition and control s eh relative positions and such relative rnovehility.

The eccozn 'ienylng' drawings illustrate my invention.

Figure 1 is View in longitudinal sec tion through the hose-plug and adjacent parts of progecti i which my invention isincorporated; :2 a. view in trans verse section. the piano of section being indicated at H l Fig. i; Fig. 3 is a View otherwise ililen l with 2, but show ing the movable parts in their alt mete positions; and Fig. 4 a fragmentary view in longitudinal section, on the line li n", Fig. 2.

The cavity of the projectile. Within which "separate chamber segregated by a thin pan tition Wall) is a booster charge B: that is a reinforcing charge, transmitting detonation from the elctonator to the main charge. This booster charge f rins no part of my present invention; it will be 111% derstood that, in con equence of its detona tion, the main che e detonated; and for present purposee'it inc] regarded as merely a part of the our encherge.

D the motor erge -the which detonstes in sequence upon the firing of the use or other inetrumentality vith which explosion begins and which o detonation imparts (w an the parts are i ive positions) explosion t" the I. v constri While either member of'the pair of cooperatin .parts named (detonator and burster-c arge) may be the movable one, the detonator is conveniently made mov-, able. Accordingly, the detonator D. conveniently borne in a suitable carrier 6, is arranged in a runway 3. The runway, instead of extending longitudinally of the projectile (the arrangement heretofore employed) extends in such direction with relation to the axis of rotation that as the projectile flies the detonator will be impelled by centrifugal force along its runway. Furthermore, the disposition of the burster-charge (.or, in this case, of the booster, whichas I have said is for resent purposes to be considered together with and as part of the burster-charge) is such that the detonator when at one end of its range of traverse in its runway is remote from and is at the other end in operative proximiiyto the burster-charge.

i anifestly any disposition of the detonator runway, such as to bring it at one part farther from the axis of rotation than at another part is a disposition such as tends to afford the desired result; and manifestly considerable latitude is permissible in refinements of structure in this regard; but, having now pointed out the essentials of structure (and in the claims I shall define the arrangement of the runway broadly as transverse I shall by way of example define my preferred arrangement. As shown in the drawings, the runway 3 for the detonator passes through the axis of rotation of the projectile, from side to side, and in a line at right angles to that axis.

The detonator D is conveniently borne in a weighted carrier 6. Suitable means are emp loyed for holding this detonator ele ment in its runway in a position remote frbm-the burster-charge. I do not limit my invention to any specific means, nor Ito means rendered inactive in any partic lar manner, nor under any. particular circumstances; but I preferably employ means which are rendered ineffective automatically on the firing of the projectile from a gun, and (more specifically) means rendered ineffective by the centrifugal force imparted by the flying projectile. My preferred construction, which is shown and described by way of example, consists of a pair of bolts or gates 4, movable in radial passageways, hcld centripetally in engagement with the detonatou'by springs or other suitable instrumentality, but moving centrifugally as the projectile flies, overcoming the tension of the springs or the effect of other instrumentalitics, and when so moving leaving the detonator free in its passageway, to respond to centrifugal impulse. The passageways for the bolts 4 admit of considerable latitude in arrangement, but preferably they are the runway for the detonator are prefer- 4 ably, though not necessarily, arranged with thif individual axes in a common plane. It is sfiflicient that the passageway intersect the detonator runway and that in consequence the bolts 4 obstruct in thede'sired manner the movement of the detonator. The detonator carrier 6 is preferably perforate and the perforation through it, when it is properly placed, renders the bolt passageway continuous; and when the carrier-is in this position, the detonator is remote from the burster charge. In this position the detonator element may be engaged and held by bolts 4, as shown in Fig. 2. The weight of the detonator element is such and so disposed that when in the position shown in Fig. 2 it will, if released by bolts 4, move under the centrifugal force of the flying projectile, and bringthe detonatorto operative proximity to the burster charge.

The strength and proportion of parts and the spaces to rearward of the detpnator are such that when in its remote position (Fig. 2), if it he accidentally exploded, the effects of explosion are isolated and ineffective to explode the burster charge.

I preferably add to the parts as thus far described, mechanical provision against retrograde movement of the detonator in its runway, when once it has advanced. The structure manifestly admits of the employment of various expedients to that end; and, while my invention broadly covers all such expedients, convenient. and adequate meansto the end stated are shown in the drawings. A block 7 lies normally inactive, in the position shown in Fig. 1; but when the detonator advances to operative position, this block 7, under the stress of centrifugal force as the projectile flies,

swings into runway 3, to rearward 0f the nator when advanced.

For structural purposes, the bore through the base-plug to provide a runway for the detonator, may be enlarged by a counterbore 9 at the rear end (rear with respect ta the direction of advance of thedetouator) and runway at a point rearward of the deto-,

in this counter-bore may belintroduced the block 10, closin the counterbore externally (or rearwardly this block 10 being provided with a sleeve to aflord a continuous runway of uniform diameter for the deto nator. The sleeve may be saw-cut, as at 11, to allow the passage of the ignition flame. The lock member 7 may be arranged in the space between the sleeve and the counterbore in which the sleeve extends. The passageway for the bolts 4 will also be bored from the outside of the base plug, and suitably closed when the structure is assembled.

Figs. 1 and 2 show the structure in nor mal, ino erativo position. When the parts are in tie positions there shown, the detonator charge D, though it should accidentally be exploded, will be inefiective to explode the body B, which is part of the bnrster-charge. When the projectile bear" ing these parts is fired from a gun, and is in flight, the gates 4 will open, the detonator element 6 will advance, and these parts will occugv the relative positions shown in Fig. 3. onsequent upon the advance of the detonator element, the latch block 7 will swing to its runway obstructing position, serving to prevent retrogression of the detonator, whatever shocks the flying projectile may encounter. When the projectile hits, the percussion-cap or other initial in strumentality will be operated, and explosion of the shell will follow in the sequence of operations already sufiiciently indicated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an explosive, projectile, the combination of a burster charge and a detonator charge movable the one with respect to the other, under centrifu a1 force on the rotation of the projectile, rom positions of relative remoteness, to detonation-imparting positions.

2. In an explosive projectile, the combination of a burster charge, a fuse, and a detonator charge, the said detonator charge being movable with respect to the fuse on the one hand and the burster charge on the other by the rotation of the projectile, from a position remote from the burster charge to a position of operative relationship to the fuse on the one hand and to the burster chargenon the other.

3. an explosive projectile the combination of a burstcr-charge chamber, a detonator runway extending transversely with respect to the axis of rotation of the projectile and from a remote point to a point of operative proximity to said burstercharge chamber, a detonator movable in said runway byrotation of the projectile from the said remote to the said proximate point, and means for firing the said detonator when in advanced position.

4. In an explosive projectile the combi nation of a detonator runway extending transversely to the axis of rotation of the projectile, a dctomtor movable therein by the rotation of thc projectile, and means operated by the rotation of the projectile for preventing retrograde movement of said detonator in its runway.

5. In an explosive projectile the combination of a transverse runway, a detonator charge movable in said runway by rotation of the projectile and means for holding said detonator charge against such movement.

6. In an explosive projectile the combination of a runway, a dctonator charge movable in said runway by rotation of the rojcctile, and means rendered inefi'ective y the rotation of the projectile holding said detonator charge against such movement.

7. In an explosive )rojectile the combi nation of a runway, a ctonator char emovable in said runway by rotation of t e projectilc, means for holding said dotonator charge against forward mzwement, and means rendered efiectivc by the rotation of the projectile holding said detonaior charge against retrograde movement.

8. In an explosive proectiie, a runway extending transversely 0 said projecti e, a second runway extending transversely to and intersect the runway first named, a detonator carrier movable within the run way first named and provided with a recess which normally registers with the second named runway, and means for reventing retrograde movement of the sai carrier in its runway.

9. In an explosive projectile a runway extending transversely of said projectile, a second runway extending transversely to and intersecting the runwa first named, a detonator carrier movable Within the runway first named and provided with a recess which normally registers with the second named runway, and a locking bolt movable within the second named runway".

10. In an explosive projectile the combi nation of a runway, a detonation-controlling member movable in said runway by rotation of the projectile, and means rendered ineffective by the rotation of the projectile holding said detonation-ocularoiling member against such movement.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN B. SEMPLE, Witnesses:

Baum; H. Cnmsrr, FRANGXS J. Tomassoa. 

